The prior art is already aware of bundle clamps and other means for compressing and holding and lifting bundles of signatures which are arranged with folds therein. These clamps or like devices are commonly employed in the graphic arts industry for lifting bundles and transporting them from one location to another in a printing plant or the like, such as moving the bundles from signature stacker apparatus to signature feeder apparatus where the bundle is separated into its individual signatures and collated into a book or magazine. That is, the stacker apparatus of the prior art normally receives folded sheets or signatures and arranges them in a bundle or stack. End boards or like supports or stiffeners are commonly arranged at opposite ends of the stack, and the stack may be strapped or tied to retain it in a secure and discrete condition. Subsequently, it is desired that the bundle or stack be transported to a feeder apparatus where the bundle is taken apart and the individual signatures or sheets are removed from the bundle for assembly or collating into a book or magazine. However, the stacker has formed the stack or bundle of sheets with the folded edges along one side of the stack, and it may be that the feeder apparatus requires that the folded edges be positioned in an orientation different from that which is presented by the usual hoist or lift truck or like transport apparatus of the prior art. Accordingly, it is necessary that the bundle be rotated so that the folded edges are in the required orientation at the feeder device.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus which readily and easily permits the proper orientation of a bundle of signatures at a feeder device or like apparatus or other station located in the printing plant or the like. In accomplishing this objective, the present invention utilizes the bundle clamp already employed in the prior art, and the present invention provides apparatus which permits the bundle of signatures to be readily and firmly secured within the clamp and to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the bundles for desired and selective positioning of the folds of the signatures in the bundle.
Prior art examples of sheet stacker, transporting, and feeder apparatus are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,739,924 and 3,825,134 and 3,853,234. These three patents also show the use of a stack or bundle clamp for holding the discrete bundle after the formation and for the transport of the bundle, and the first two patents show an adjustable type clamp. Prior art examples of feeder apparatus are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,416,679 and 3,501,139 and 3,982,749, and these three patents show the apparatus receiving and handling the bundle of sheets to separate the sheets into their individual arrangements and pass them to the feeder or like apparatus. In those instances, the orientation of the fold is of concern, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,501,139 discusses this concern and provides for a particular arrangement for reversing the orientation of the folded edges in the sheets.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an arrangement for a stack or bundle clamp wherein the folded edges can be oriented as desired when they are presented to the feeder or like apparatus.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings.